The quickest way to double space

Open your document in Word. Select all the text by pressing Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac. Then go to the Home tab, find the Paragraph group on the ribbon, click the small arrow next to the line spacing icon, and choose 2.0. Your entire document is now double spaced.

If you only want to double space part of your document, select just those paragraphs instead of all text, then follow the same steps. The change applies only to what you highlighted.

Key Takeaways

  • Double spacing in Word means pressing Ctrl+A to select all text, then using the line spacing dropdown in the Home tab to choose 2.0.
  • You can double space your whole document or just selected paragraphs — the method is the same, only the selection changes.
  • The line spacing icon looks like horizontal lines with arrows and sits in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
  • Double spacing affects only the space between lines within paragraphs, not the space between paragraphs themselves.

Finding the line spacing control on the ribbon

The Paragraph group lives on the Home tab, which is the first tab you see when you open Word. Look for an icon that shows three or four horizontal lines with up and down arrows next to them — that is the line spacing button. It usually sits near buttons for alignment (left, center, right) and indentation.

If you cannot find it, the icon may be hidden. Click the small arrow at the bottom right corner of the Paragraph group to open the full Paragraph dialog box. From there, find the Line spacing dropdown and select Double or 2.0.

Using the Paragraph dialog for more control

The Paragraph dialog box gives you options beyond just double spacing. Select your text, then open the Home tab and click the small arrow at the bottom right of the Paragraph group. In the dialog that opens, look for the Line spacing dropdown near the bottom.

You will see options like Single, 1.5 lines, Double, and At least. Choose Double to set your spacing to exactly 2.0. You can also type a custom number if you want spacing like 2.5 or 3.0. Click OK when you are done.

Double spacing only new text you type

If you want new paragraphs you type to be double spaced but do not want to change what is already written, place your cursor at the end of the document and set the line spacing before you start typing. Select the line spacing as described above, and any text you add from that point forward will follow the double spacing you set.

This approach is useful if you are adding to an existing single-spaced document and only the new section needs to be double spaced. Just remember to change the line spacing back if you want to return to single spacing later.

What double spacing actually changes

Double spacing increases the vertical space between lines of text within a paragraph. It does not change the space between separate paragraphs or affect margins, font size, or indentation. If you want to adjust space between paragraphs instead, that is a separate setting in the same Paragraph dialog under Spacing (Before and After).

Double spacing makes documents easier to read and leaves room for handwritten notes or editing marks — which is why many schools and publishers ask for it. The trade-off is that your document will be roughly twice as long, so a single-spaced page becomes about two pages when double spaced.

Checking your spacing before printing

After you set double spacing, scroll through your document to make sure it looks right. Sometimes the change is not obvious on screen until you see a full page. Use Print Preview (Ctrl+P on Windows, Command+P on Mac) to see how the document will look on paper before you print or send it.

If the spacing looks wrong or too wide, go back to the line spacing dropdown and check that you selected 2.0 and not something else. Common mistakes include accidentally choosing 1.5 or selecting a specific point size instead of a line spacing option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does double spacing work the same on Mac and Windows?

Yes. The steps are identical — select your text, go to Home, find the line spacing button in the Paragraph group, and choose 2.0. The ribbon layout and button locations are the same on both versions of Word.

Can I set double spacing as my default for all new documents?

Yes. Create a new blank document, set the line spacing to double, then save it as a template. In Word, go to File, then Save As, and choose Word Template from the file type dropdown. Use that template whenever you start a new document and it will already be double spaced.

What if the line spacing button is not visible on my ribbon?

Click the small arrow at the bottom right corner of the Paragraph group to open the full Paragraph dialog box. The line spacing dropdown is always there, even if the quick button is hidden. You can also customize your ribbon to show the button if you use it often.

Does double spacing affect tables or text boxes in my document?

Double spacing applies to regular paragraph text. Text inside tables and text boxes may not respond the same way. Select the text inside the table or box separately and apply double spacing to just that selection if needed.